1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to soft contact lenses, and particularly to a method and apparatus for tinting such soft contact lenses within the dispensing office, or in soft contact lens manufacturing facilities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The search of the prior art has revealed the existence of the following U.S. Pat. Nos. which are believed to be the most pertinent related to the subject matter of this application: 2,241,415; 3,034,403; 3,171,869; 3,557,261; 3,679,504; 3,992,563; 4,157,892; 4,252,421; 4,349,470; 4,4,6,814; 4,447,474; 4,460,523; 4,468,229; 4,472,327; 4,494,954; 4,518,390.
Out of this group of patents, only U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,241,415; 3,557,261; 4,447,474; 4,460,523; 4,472,327 and 4,518,390 appear to show any type of structure for tinting existing contact lenses, and it does not appear from these patents that the structures illustrated in these patents in any way conflict with the method and apparatus disclosed and claimed herein by applicant. The remaining patents mentioned above relate to various methods and processes, some of which may produce the same end result produced by applicant through the practice of his invention disclosed herein, but which differ substantially from applicant's method and apparatus.
Applicant has been an optometrist for a number of years and has been in communication with many other optometrists, dispensing Opticians and Ophthalmologists and various optical equipment manufacturers and has observed that in the great majority of cases almost all dispensing Opticians, Optometrists and Ophthalmologists order tinted soft contact lenses from only a very limited number of manufacturers and distributors. A brief synopsis of the industry will promote an understanding of the problem solved by the subject invention.
Soft contact lenses are prescribed and fitted by three types of eye care practitioners: Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, and, to a limited extent, Opticians. It has been reported that there are about 12,500 Ophthalmolgists in the United States, with 11,000 of these involved in regular patient care as hospital or office-based physicians. It has been estimated that half or more of these eleven thousand Ophthalmologists offer dispensing services in addition to prescribing corrective eyewear, sometimes in conjunction with Opticians. It has been estimated these 11,000 Ophthalmologists account for 30% of the total retail corrective lens market and about 20% of the contact lens market, operating from six thousand locations with revenues of 1.35 billion dollars. It is interesting to note that of all dispensing Ophthalmologists, as of 1984 more fit soft lenses (73%) than hard lenses (71%) or gas permeable lenses (51%). It is also interesting to note that with respect to Ophthalmologists' contact lens practices, the cost of being fitted with contact lenses by an Ophthalmologist has decreased significantly in recent years. For example, in late 1978, the average cost of soft contact lenses from this source was $308.00; in 1979, it had fallen to $292.00, and by the end of 1982, to $262.00. It has been observed that in general, the prices paid to Ophthalmologists for contact lenses are, on average, higher than those paid to Optometrists or Opticians.
With respect to Optometrists, in December of 1984 it was reported that there are approximately 22,000 practicing Optometrists in the United States. Of these, 80% (about 17,600) work independently. The other 20% include Optometrists working for chain optical houses and about 2,000 who work for Government, health maintenance organizations or Ophthalmologists.
It has been reported that of the contact lenses fitted by Optometrists, 69% are soft contact lenses and only 17% are hard contact lenses. Doctors of Optometry average twelve pairs of new contact lens fittings per month (compared to ten for Ophthalmologists), and their fees generally lie between those of Ophthalmologists and Opticians. The cost of being fitted for contact lenses by Optometrists is reported to be falling, following the general industry trend. In late 1978, for example, it was reported that new soft lenses cost $285.00, but by 1979, the cost was down to $258.00 and by 1982, the cost had been reduced to $218.00.
With respect to dispensing Opticians, it has been reported that only 22 states license Opticians. The Opticians Association of America estimates that there are about 26,000 dispensing Opticians in the United States. There apparently has been a higher growth rate among Opticians than among Ophthalmologists or Optometrists, reflecting their increasing roles as primary fitters and as adjuncts to the other two classes of practitioners. It has been reported that 55% of independent dispensing Opticians fit soft contact lenses while 52% fit the hard contact lens. Additionally, it has been reported that 80% of all contact lenses fitted by independent dispensing Opticians are of the soft contact lens type and only 13% are of the hard contact lens type. With respect to cost, prices paid for lenses acquired from Optician outlets tend to be the lowest in the industry, with the large chains charging somewhat less than the independents and small chains. For 1981, for instance, the first year for which separate data are available, independent and small chain Opticianries charged, on average, $178.00 for soft lenses; in 1982, their average price was $160.00.
It appears however that the contact lens distribution mechanism is changing very rapidly because of the entry into the contact lens business of optical and drug chains. Data on optical and drug chains and the number of the contact lenses fitted from this source are particularly difficult to come by, and when available, are obscure or commingled with data for independent and small chain outlets. However, the data that are known indicate that large chains now provide as much as 40% of all contact lens fittings. Obviously, this large share of the market is both a cause and a result of the downward price trends observed for all contact lens fitters. Chain outlets offer lenses at lower prices than other sources ($100.00 per pair of soft contact lenses in 1982) and thus exert a downward pressure on the entire price structure of contact lenses, including soft contact lenses.
As late as 1978, 43 states placed restraints on price advertisements by eye care dispensers. In that year, however, the United States Federal Trade Commission overruled these laws and thus paved the way for the great growth of chain outlets, price rivalry, and price reductions. Since low price appears to be a key strategy of chain outlets, the FTC ruling strongly enhanced their market position. Indeed, observation makes it apparent that large chains are growing larger through expansion and merger, and the establishment of manufacturers' outlets, even to the extent of offering franchises to Optometrists and Opticians. It is obvious that the large optical chain has become an important part of the contact lens distribution mechanism and promises to play a larger role in future years. For instance, in 1982, it was reported that eight of the largest chains control approximately 2,164 outlets for contact lenses, with only three of these large chains controlling approximately 1,765 outlets.
The marketing of contact lenses, both hard and soft, to dispensers is effected through distribution by manufacturers of their contact lenses to the three groups of dispensers, who in turn make them available to patients. Thus, manufacturers' promotional efforts are mainly directed to these professionals. It is at this point that the tinted soft contact lens enters the picture. The large inventories of contact lenses required by the manufacturers to be maintained in-house by the professionals may or may not include tinted soft contact lenses. The problem involves a number of factors including cost, availability of suitable colors, the time frame within which suitably tinted soft contact lenses may be supplied by a manufacturer, and the ultimate opinion of the purchaser as to the cosmetic effect of the tinted soft contact lenses.
Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to make it possible for each of the dispensers, whether he be an ophthalmologist, an optometrist, or a dispensing optician, to custom tint an existing "raw", i.e., clear, contact lens in his own shop or laboratory or office, often while the patient or purchaser waits for the lens to be tinted the same day it is ordered.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a kit which includes the dyes necessary to effect tinting of the "raw" or clear lenses, the apparatus to be used by the dispenser in effecting the tinting by the application of dye to the soft contact lens, the apparatus being susceptible of manipulation by hand to tint single soft contact lenses or pairs thereof.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus adapted to be kept in the optician's, optometrist's, ophthalmologist's or soft lens manufacturer's facility, shop or office, and which is readily available for use by the dispenser to effect tinting of soft contact lenses on an indiviudual basis so as to customize the intensity of the tinting operation to the suitability of the purchaser.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a method of operation of such apparatus to effect the tinting of soft contact lenses.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It is to be understood however that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described, since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.